CUTTING CURDS.
Cheese-making was once carried on without cutting the curd; and even
since the introduction of the factory system, there have been those who
denounced the idea of using a cutting instrument. Breaking up the curd
with the hands was considered the better method as incurring less waste,
both of butter and cheese. Such ideas, though entertained but a few
years ago, are obsolete. Cutting curds is now universal, certainly in
America. The only questions are as to the time, manner and extent of
cutting.
When should the curd be cut? Practically, there is little difference of
opinion on this question. Some may cut a little sooner or later than
others, and even the same person may not always be precise as to the
time of cutting. But all will agree that a curd should not be cut before
it is firm enough to break square and smooth over the finger without
whitening the whey; and they will also agree that it should be cut
before it gets tough enough to drive along ahead of the knife. We would
cut it as soon as it can be done without waste, while the curd is
tender; and we would do all the cutting at once. There is no sense in
running the knife through the curd one way, and then letting the curd
stand and toughen before cross-cutting and completing the operation. If
it is fit to partly cut, it is fit to wholly cut; and the sooner the
cutting is done with, the better. Time for the separation of the whey
can be given after the cutting is done, and before the heat is further
raised.
The cutting should be done as carefully as possible and as evenly as
possible. The fewer the motions, the better. If it could be done
instantaneously and uniformly, without agitation, it would be an
advantage. At the right time, we would like to have the entire vat of
curd instantaneously separated into pieces of uniform size. This is the
end to be aimed at. We are far from reaching it with present appliances.
We can only approximate it as nearly as possible. A knife, therefore,
with blades near together is preferable to one with blades farther
apart.
As to the extent of the cutting, there is more difference of opinion,
though the difference has much diminished since the mania for coarse
curds ran its course. A few yet cling to this exploded notion; but the
great majority choose a medium degree of fineness. It has been found
that the large pieces do not sufficiently cook, especially if the milk
is old enough to work quick. The consequence is an uneven texture, and a
deteriorated flavor. Sufficient whey remains in the centers of the large
lumps to ferment and give the cheese the smell of the whey-vat, if it
does not sour and cause the cheese to become leaky and dry. Possibly, if
the weather be favorable for curing, the whey may collect in pungent
drops throughout the cheese, showing themselves when cut somewhat as
they do in the Limburger. Such cheese, we think, is likely to ultimately
approximate the Limburger in both odor and flavor. It will please some
tastes, but will not answer for the best markets.
Medium curds are now the rule. As cheese-makers have approximated fine
curds, they have improved the quality of their cheese. We believe still
finer cutting will prove a further advantage. We will give our reasons
for thinking so, and will add that our experience, as far as it goes,
corroborates the idea. It secures a more uniform action of the heat and
separation of the whey, and therefore an evener texture and better
flavor, with correspondingly improved keeping qualities.
What is the object and advantage of cutting at all? Why not let the curd
remain in one unbroken mass? We cut the curd for the purpose of
facilitating the separation of the fluids from the solids by the
combined action of the rennet and heat. Is it not desirable that this
action should be uniform on every particle of curd? We think this
question will be generally answered in the affirmative. If so, then it
must be conceded that the finer the curd is cut the more nearly the
desired result will be attained. If it could be separated particle from
particle, without waste, would not the action of the heat and rennet be
more perfect still? When in lumps, the externals of them must
necessarily be cooked more than the centers, and the evil of
over-cooking--if there is such an evil with a blood heat temperature--is
illy counteracted by the mixture of curd cooked to different
degrees--some overdone and some underdone. It should all be cooked
alike, to whatever degree the cooking may be carried. This will secure
uniformity of texture and quality, and also clean flavor, if the cooking
is complete.
But, of course, in cutting a curd fine there is danger of waste--waste
of curd, but not necessarily waste of butter, unless the curd is sour.
Then it is impossible to avoid waste of butter by any process that we
are aware of--and with a sour curd there is all the more necessity for
cutting fine and cooking rapidly and thoroughly. With proper care, the
evil of sour milk can be avoided. With good sweet milk and proper
management, there is very little danger of waste of any kind, cut as
fine as we can with the common knife.
We would cut so that the pieces when cooked should not be larger than
kernels of corn; and though many object to it, we should not, if the
pieces were as small as buckwheat--and as regular in size. We would not
use a knife with the blades more than a quarter of an inch apart. Though
we have never used a knife for cutting horizontally, the idea commends
itself to our judgment. We would carefully cut first with the horizontal
knife, leaving the thin slabs of curd lying one upon the other. Then,
without waiting for the whey to rise or the curd to sink, we would use
the perpendicular blades lengthwise of the vat, reducing the slabs to
long square strips, and follow this with the cross-cutting until the
pieces were at least as small as beechnuts. After this, the curd may be
allowed to stand a few minutes, for the whey to separate, before
starting the heat--provided the milk is sweet enough to permit of delay.
But if the milk should give any indication of being old, we would begin
at once to gradually raise the heat; if quite old and changed, we would
crowd the heat as fast as practicable.
To sum up in brief, we would cut a curd and complete the cutting as soon
as it can be done without waste; we would cut it as expeditiously as
possible and with as few motions; we would cut it as fine as care
against waste would warrant; we would raise the heat as gradually and
evenly as circumstances would permit; we would cook as thoroughly and as
evenly as possible; we would keep up the heat until the curd is done; we
would then let the acid develop in the whey until it is plainly changed;
we would dip as warm as convenient, drain and salt, cool to at least
80°, and then put to press. With good milk, good rennet and a good
place to cure the cheese in, we should expect in this way to turn out a
tip-top article.